How Philippine call center agents can maintain a happy social life

Call center agents, especially those working on a night shift, may find it hard to maintain a healthy social life because of their work schedule. Open Access BPO gives some tips on how social interactions and quality bonding with family and friends can still be enjoyed even if you are a call center agent.

Stress is an expected outcome of working in a fast-paced environment such as call centers. Most call center agents don’t follow the normal sleeping hours because they have to adjust to the time zones of overseas clients and customers. Missing important events, such as night out with friends or lunch date with relatives, seems to be a normal part of every call center agent’s life. As a result, their ability to socialize and enjoy interactions with their friends and family is compromised.

Maintaining a happy social life outside of work is an effective way to survive in a stressful call center environment. If you are an agent working for a 24/7 call center in the Philippines, here are some tips that you can use to still enjoy social interactions:

1. Manage your schedule well

Since working on a night shift can limit your time to hang out with other people, you should learn how to set priorities. It pays to maintain a schedule that you will follow. Evenly spread out the activities you plan to have with people you barely have to time to see. By maintaining a calendar of activities, you can combine your personal activities with your socializing activities. For example, you can set a schedule for a quick dinner with your friends after a day of shopping. Proper time management is key to having a healthy social life.

2. Know your options

Some call center agents think that regular workdays should be avoided when setting appointments. But as night shift workers, you actually have two options—it’s either post-work breakfast or pre-shift dinner. This is why planning ahead is important. Mutual compromise or alternating bonding times can also be done every now and then, especially if you and your friends have conflicting schedules.

3. Maximize your rest days

True, your days off are supposed to be spent on rest and relaxation. However, spending time with people who are special to you is also another therapeutic way of reinvigorating yourself before starting a new week at work. Budget your time wisely during your rest days in such a way that you have enough time to go out and socialize with people and have some “me” time as well.

4. Take advantage of modern tools

If being physically present around your friends is difficult for you, you’re always free to use the Internet to keep in touch with them. Social media, messaging apps, and video conferencing tools are only some of the many innovations that you can use to stay connected with your relatives and friends. In fact, you can use these digital tools to plan things out with them. More importantly, these Internet-based tools can also provide a quick and practical way of staying in touch with the members of your social circle.

Your work as a call center agent should never deprive you of opportunities to enjoy quality bonding time with people outside of work. Remember, the secret to having a healthy lifestyle despite working in a stressful setting is maintaining a work-life balance. By following these tips, you can strengthen your interpersonal relationships with your family and friends.

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Open Access BPO

Open Access BPO is a Californian boutique-style outsourcing firm that offers voice, non-voice, and back office solutions from its Philippine operations site. Open Access BPO lets clients customize their outsourced services to fit their business' needs.
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